Mr MILLS - 2004-03-31
Everyone agrees that ATSIC is dysfunctional and needs change to ensure improved delivery of services to Aboriginal people. Yesterday, you spent four minutes refusing to support your leader’s plan for the abolition of ATSIC and ATSIS. Your minister assisting you on Indigenous Affairs was muzzled, and your deputy was saying something quite different to you. In your rush to take your marching orders from your masters in Canberra, have you stopped to consider what your position means to existing agreements and those currently under negotiation between the Northern Territory government and ATSIC? What are you going to tell ATSIC Northern Zone Commissioner, Kim Hill, at the urgent meeting he has sought with you?
Madam Speaker, it is interesting that you get this question from the opposition, because we now have the Prime Minister this morning saying he thinks the abolition of ATSIC is a bad thing, but does not give an alternative to what he wants to do. It is interesting that the opposition comes in to ask, ‘What are you going to do with this? What are you going to do with that?’ Let me say very clearly that this is a national issue. This is a fact of life.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Do not say, ‘Oh, frustrations!’ It is a federal decision about the future of ATSIC, and quite properly. This government has had a lot to say about that. We put a substantial submission into the ATSIC review when it was done. I have taken a position and argued it hard at COAG level. I have talked to other premiers about it; I have talked to the Prime Minister about it. So, let us be very clear about what the Territory is saying on a national level about what we think can happen regarding the very important issue of service delivery for Territorians, predominantly indigenous Territorians, who live remotely. It is a major issue. It is something that was inadequately addressed by the CLP when they were in government, and let me say, it is something that we are very keenly aware of, and we are trying to achieve better service delivery into our remote communities for some of the most disadvantaged Territorians.
A member: No.
Ms MARTIN: No. We had some noise from your federal members but nothing substantial. All we have is carping at the edges and not providing solutions.
I believe the way forward that was articulated by this government is one that will work for the Territory. It is not necessarily aligned with what the federal Opposition Leader said yesterday. I do not care. The way we want to have service delivery happening in the Territory, the way we want to work with indigenous organisations is one that will work for the Territory, and have no doubt about that. I am proud to stand here and say, and if I have to take on the federal leader in some elements of the policy, yes I will. That is why we will argue the case for the Territory, and I have argued the case for the Territory very specifically.
This is not about playing politics. This is about indigenous Territorians who deserve to have services and programs delivered effectively without a duplication of services. I have talked a number of times about the success of the direction of what the COAG trial at Wadeye is achieving. It is about coordinating service delivery between different service providers at different levels of government – federal, Territory, local in terms of the Wadeye community - and we have to make sure it is working. That is why the COAG trials are happening, recognising that layer upon layer of service delivery is not achieving the outcomes we want and that we have to coordinate it. That is what my whole approach is about, that is what this government’s approach is about. I will stand up and argue it with anyone. If it is not the same model that is going to be proposed on a national level, I will continue to argue that we are the Territory, a third of Territorians are indigenous, and they are not getting the service delivery and programs that are going to make sure that they have jobs and safe communities in the future.
We have to ensure this. I will ensure that by arguing the case, and over the next 12 months, I hope I will do that effectively. I say to the opposition: stop standing on the sidelines and get involved in the issue. We are tired of your carping and negativity.
Madam Speaker, it is interesting that you get this question from the opposition, because we now have the Prime Minister this morning saying he thinks the abolition of ATSIC is a bad thing, but does not give an alternative to what he wants to do. It is interesting that the opposition comes in to ask, ‘What are you going to do with this? What are you going to do with that?’ Let me say very clearly that this is a national issue. This is a fact of life.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Do not say, ‘Oh, frustrations!’ It is a federal decision about the future of ATSIC, and quite properly. This government has had a lot to say about that. We put a substantial submission into the ATSIC review when it was done. I have taken a position and argued it hard at COAG level. I have talked to other premiers about it; I have talked to the Prime Minister about it. So, let us be very clear about what the Territory is saying on a national level about what we think can happen regarding the very important issue of service delivery for Territorians, predominantly indigenous Territorians, who live remotely. It is a major issue. It is something that was inadequately addressed by the CLP when they were in government, and let me say, it is something that we are very keenly aware of, and we are trying to achieve better service delivery into our remote communities for some of the most disadvantaged Territorians.
A member: No.
Ms MARTIN: No. We had some noise from your federal members but nothing substantial. All we have is carping at the edges and not providing solutions.
I believe the way forward that was articulated by this government is one that will work for the Territory. It is not necessarily aligned with what the federal Opposition Leader said yesterday. I do not care. The way we want to have service delivery happening in the Territory, the way we want to work with indigenous organisations is one that will work for the Territory, and have no doubt about that. I am proud to stand here and say, and if I have to take on the federal leader in some elements of the policy, yes I will. That is why we will argue the case for the Territory, and I have argued the case for the Territory very specifically.
This is not about playing politics. This is about indigenous Territorians who deserve to have services and programs delivered effectively without a duplication of services. I have talked a number of times about the success of the direction of what the COAG trial at Wadeye is achieving. It is about coordinating service delivery between different service providers at different levels of government – federal, Territory, local in terms of the Wadeye community - and we have to make sure it is working. That is why the COAG trials are happening, recognising that layer upon layer of service delivery is not achieving the outcomes we want and that we have to coordinate it. That is what my whole approach is about, that is what this government’s approach is about. I will stand up and argue it with anyone. If it is not the same model that is going to be proposed on a national level, I will continue to argue that we are the Territory, a third of Territorians are indigenous, and they are not getting the service delivery and programs that are going to make sure that they have jobs and safe communities in the future.
We have to ensure this. I will ensure that by arguing the case, and over the next 12 months, I hope I will do that effectively. I say to the opposition: stop standing on the sidelines and get involved in the issue. We are tired of your carping and negativity.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016